nuclear-news

Israeli experts criticise Netanyahu’s belligerent stand towards Iran

Mr Diskin’s comments echoed those previously made by Meir Dagan, the director of Israel’s Mossad spy agency until January last year, who said that a strike on Iran would lead to ”regional war” and encourage Iran to continue its nuclear program.

‘Messianic’ Israeli leaders warned over Iran strike, Sydney Morning Herald, Karin Brulliard April 30, 2012 JERUSALEM: The recently retired chief of Israel’s domestic intelligence agency has described the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, as men driven by ”messianic feelings” and said that he had ”no faith” in them to lead a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The scathing comments by Yuval Diskin, who had kept a low profile since retiring last year, added to the sense of a divide between Israel’s security establishment and its political leadership over Iran. Last week the head of Israel’s military, Lieutenant-General
Benny Gantz, said sanctions and the threat of military action would deter Iran from building nuclear bombs, an analysis that contrasted with Mr Netanyahu’s and Mr Barak’s grimmer assessments.
Mr Diskin, who headed the Shin Bet security agency for six years, said
at a community meeting in Kfar Saba, a central Israeli city, that a
pre-emptive attack on Iranian nuclear sites would probably accelerate,
not end, Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
”They are misleading the public on the Iran issue,” Mr Diskin said
of Mr Netanyahu and Mr Barak. ”I don’t believe in a leadership that
makes decisions based on messianic feelings.”
He broadened his critique to include the handling of the Palestinian
conflict as well.
”I fear very much that these are not the people I’d want at the
wheel,” he said.
Mr Diskin’s comments echoed those previously made by Meir Dagan, the director of Israel’s Mossad spy agency until January last year, who said that a strike on Iran would lead to ”regional war” and encourage Iran to continue its nuclear program.
At the time Mr Dagan told Israeli journalists he feared his retirement
and that of Mr Diskin and the former military chief Gabi Ashkenazi had
removed voices that could ”block any dangerous adventure” led by Mr
Netanyahu and Mr Barak.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/messianic-israeli-leaders-warned-over-iran-strike-20120429-1xswb.html#ixzz1tYgdyn2V

April 30, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Israel, weapons and war